massachusetts drivers permit - MA

Residents of Massachusetts (MA) are required to have a valid MA license to legally operate a vehicle in MA. Out-of-state or foreign-licensed drivers MUST obtain a MA driver's license upon becoming a MA resident.

License Class

Class D- Any single passenger vehicle or combination, except a semi-trailer unit, truck-trailer combination, tractor, or truck with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) over 26,000 lbs., bus or school bus.

Photo-Image Licenses

In February of 1995, Massachusetts began issuing Photo Image Licenses. This digitized license has increased security for our customers by making it tamper-resistant. This form of licensing also makes it easier and quicker for the RMV to issue replacements and to add endorsements. As another means of protecting yourself and your privacy, Massachusetts uses a state assigned number on all license and ID cards. This randomly assigned number is a nine-digit number starting with the letter "S" and followed by eight numerals. You must provide the RMV with a valid social security number. Your photo image license is valid for up to five (5) years and is issued to expire on your birthday. This technology is also used for the Mass and Liquor Identification Cards.

Obtaining a Class D Permit and License

Any person who is at least 16 years of age and has not had a driver's license or right to operate taken away by the Registrar may apply for a Class D (passenger) permit at any RMV full service office.

If you are under 18 years of age:

You must present the following:

• 1 document proving date of birth (See Below)
• Parental consent on the Class D, M, or D/M License and ID Card Application
• A Social Security Number (SSN) that the RMV can verify with the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) as having been issued to you OR an acceptable Denial Notice from the SSA. If you present a Denial Notice, you must also present proof of acceptable visa status, an I-94 (Record of Arrival and Departure), and a current non-U.S. Passport (See Below).

All documents must be originals. Photocopies will not be accepted. Your right to operate will be verified through the Commercial Driver License Information System (CDLIS) and the National Driver Register (NDR) to determine if it is suspended, revoked, cancelled, withdrawn, or disqualified in any state or the District of Columbia. You must pay all required fees. All documents you present must be originals. Photocopies will not be accepted.

If you are 18 years of age or older:

You must present the following:

• Document proving date of birth (See Below)
• Document proving signature
• Document proving Massachusetts residency (See Below)
• A Social Security Number (SSN) that the RMV can verify with the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) as having been issued to you OR an acceptable Denial Notice from the SSA. If you present a Denial Notice, you must also present proof of acceptable visa status, an I-94 (Record of Arrival and Departure), and a current non-U.S. Passport. (See Below)

All documents must be originals. Photocopies will not be accepted. Your right to operate will be verified through the Commercial Driver License Information System (CDLIS) and the National Driver Register (NDR) to determine if it is suspended, revoked, cancelled, withdrawn, or disqualified in any state or the District of Columbia. You must pay all required fees. All documents you present must be originals. Photocopies will not be accepted. .

A Massachusetts Liquor ID can be used to prove date of birth or signature.

Parental Consent

If you are under 18 years of age, you must obtain the written consent of a parent, guardian, child guardian division or boarding school headmaster. Written consent must be given by signing the front of the Class D, M, or D/M License and ID Card Application. If the person giving consent is NOT a parent, proper documentation of authority must be shown at the time of the written test.

Obtaining your Class D Permit

Complete the Class D, M, or D/M License and ID Card Application. This form can be found at any RMV service officeor you may download it from our Forms and Files page.

You must present the application, the required ID documents, and the $30.00 fee, in person, to any RMV full service office to take the written test. The test is given on an automated testing system on a walk-in basis during posted branch hours.

The written test consists of twenty five (25) questions. You must answer eighteen (18) questions correctly to pass.

At the time of your written test, you must also pass an eye screening for field vision and basic colors.

Please note that if you fail the written permit exam, you must present the required sources of identification documentation the next time you apply for a permit. Please refer to the list of identification requirements to ensure that you bring the necessary documents with you.

Alternative Exam Options

If you have a cognitive or physical disability that would prevent you from taking a standard learner’s permit exam through ATS, you may request an alternative extended time, paper, or oral exam. To request an extended time or paper exam, you must speak to the Branch Manager when you visit the branch. To request an oral exam, please call            (617) 351-4505       and leave a message that includes your name, your telephone number, the specifics of your request, and the Registry Branch Office where you would like to take your oral exam. You will then be contacted by a Registry employee who will help you schedule an exam.

Oral exams are only available in English.

For oral exams, you must provide the Branch Manager with written documentation that confirms the nature of your disability. This documentation may be a Doctor's or Social Worker's letter, an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), or a letter from a school on official letterhead. You will also need to provide all of the required identification documents.

An oral exam will only be provided if it has been scheduled in advance by calling the number above. Extended time and paper exams do not need to be scheduled in advance.

Obtaining a Duplicate Class D Permit

You must appear in person at an RMV office to have a duplicate permit issued for $15. If your permit has expired you need to present the required sources of identification, take and pass the written test and pay the $30 fee to obtain an updated permit. Please refer to the list of identification requirements to ensure that you bring the necessary documents with you.

Operation of a Vehicle with a Class D Permit

You may only operate a vehicle when accompanied by a licensed operator. A licensed operator is a person who is duly licensed by his or her home state, has at least one (1) year of driving experience, is at least 21 years of age and holds a valid license for the class of vehicle being driven. Your permit MUST be with you while you are operating the vehicle.

Limitations with a Class D Permit

If you are under 18 years of age, you may not drive between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent/guardian who is duly licensed in his or her home state and has one (1) year of driving experience. The parent/guardian must occupy the seat next to you. You may not operate a vehicle outside Massachusetts if that state's laws prevent you from legally doing so.

Renewing a Class D Permit

Permits expire two (2) years from the date of issue. If you need a new permit, the written test and the $30 fee are required.

Obtaining a Class D License

You may apply for a Class D license if you are at least 18 years old and have a valid Class D permit. You may also apply if you are 16 1/2 years old and have successfully completed all JOL requirements. Parental consent is required for applicants under 18 years of age.

Fees

The fee for each road test is listed on our fee chart.

Scheduling a Road Test

Once you have passed the written permit test and completed all necessary JOL requirements, you must call the RMVTelephone Center to schedule your road test. All road tests must be scheduled by the phone center. You may NOT make a road test appointment in person.

If you wish, you may use our automated phone system to schedule a road test by calling             (866)-MASSRMV      (            866-627-7768      ).

Vehicle Requirements for Class D Road Tests

For all road tests, you are required to supply a properly equipped, legally registered and insured vehicle that has a valid inspection sticker. The vehicle must be acceptable to the examiner. The examiner must be able to reach the vehicle's emergency brake or foot brake. Any vehicle with a center console that does not have an emergency brake as part of the console cannot be used.

If the vehicle is rented, you must provide the rental agreement and written permission on the rental company's letterhead authorizing use of the vehicle for a road test.

Sponsor Requirements

To take the road test, you must bring a sponsor who is at least 21 years old, has at least one (1) year of driving experience and possesses a valid driver's license issued by his or her home state. Foreign license holders are not eligible to be sponsors.

To Obtain your Class D License

You must bring the following to the road test: a completed Class D or M Road Test Application, your Class D permit, a vehicle and a sponsor.

You must successfully complete the road test before the expiration date on your permit.

Bring the stamped, signed permit, a completed Class D, M, or D/M License and ID Card Application, and the appropriate fees to any RMV full service office to get your license.

Restrictions with a Class D License

Licensed Massachusetts drivers between 16 1/2 and 18 years of age may not operate a vehicle between the hours of 12:30 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Also, you may not operate a vehicle requiring a commercial driver's license.

Age Requirements for Road Test

If you are between 16½ and 18 years old, you may schedule a Class D (passenger) or M (motorcycle) road test only if you have a Driver's Education Certificate. If you do not have a Driver's Education Certificate, you must be 18 years of age or older to schedule a road test.

Book a Class D Road Test

You may schedule an appointment for a Class D road test online or by calling the RMV Telephone Center.

Click here for the Class D and M Road Test Information Sheet.

Refer to the Driver's Manual for the list of items you must bring to the road test, sponsor and vehicle requirements, and what driving skills you may be asked to demonstrate.

Date of Birth (Photocopies are not acceptable)

• U.S. or non-U.S. passport (including passport card) with photo (non-US passport must contain visa and I-94)
• Current MA learner’s permit, MA license, or MA ID card
• Expired MA license or MA ID card
• Out-of-state license with photo and DOB issued by a state, territory, or possession of the U.S., D.C., a province of Canada, or a state of Mexico or the Federal District of Mexico City
• Original birth certificate issued in the U.S. or its territories or a copy certified by the agency that issued the original certificate or a copy certified by a Bureau of Vital Statistics or a state Board of Health within the United States (a hospitalissued certificate is not acceptable)
• Original out-of-country birth certificate certified by the agency that issued it.  If not in English, the certificate must be translated.
• Certified or attested copy of a court order of a federal, state, or county court within the U.S. that contains a raised court seal and includes the applicant’s full name and  DOB (examples include an adoption document, a name change document, and a gender change document)
• Certain Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services documents and other U.S. Government immigration documents (See list of Official Immigration Documents)
• U.S. military discharge papers (DD 214) with DOB
• U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner card with photo and DOB
• Original or certified copy of a U.S. - issued Marriage Certificate with DOB listed
• Original or certified copy of a baptismal certificate, provided the original certificate was issued within one year of the applicant’s birth by a church in the U.S. and contains the applicant’s DOB
• Original letter issued and signed by the principal, headmaster, or official keeper of the records of a MA school (including a college or university) that is on school letterhead and states the applicant is currently a resident student and includes the name and DOB
• U.S. military (or military dependent) ID with photo and DOB
• MA Firearms Card, with photo and DOB

Massachusetts Residence for 18 – 21 year old applicants (Photocopies are not acceptable)

• Notarized statement from parent/legal guardian that states applicant currently resides in the parent/guardian’s home

Massachusetts Residence (Photocopies are not acceptable)

• Current MA learner’s permit, MA license, or MA ID card
• Expired MA driver’s license or MA ID card (expired no more than 12 months)
• Certified or attested copy of a court order of a federal, state, or county court within the U.S. that contains a raised court seal and includes the applicant’s full name, residential address, and DOB (examples include an adoption document, a name change document, and a gender change document) (dated within 12 months of application)
• Home mortgage or lease; or loan contracts (examples include Retail Installment Sale Agreement, and Motor Vehicle Installment Sale Contract), with the applicant’s name, residential address and signature (dated within 12 months of application)
• Current, valid homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy with the applicant’s residential address that is for the current or immediate prior year
• (a) A bank passbook with applicant’s name and residential address printed or written in a designated place in the passbook; (b) A bank statement or transaction-related document (no more than 60 days old) on a form generated by the issuing bank and displaying the bank’s name and mail address, and the applicant’s name and residential address, received  through mail by applicant; (c) A checkbook with the applicant’s preprinted name and residential address; or (d) ATM/Debit Card statement with name and residential address (no more than 60 days old)
• Canceled personal check (copy acceptable if printed on a sheet with other cancelled checks and issued as part of a monthly statement by the bank) with signature of applicant and preprinted residential address on the check  and dated not more than 60 days earlier
• Original or certified copy of a U.S. - issued Marriage Certificate (dated within 6 months of application)
• A utility bill (gas, electric, wired telephone, wired cable, or heating oil delivery bill) (no more than 60 days old) that contains the applicant’s name and residential address
• Current Massachusetts registration card
• A property tax or excise tax bill that is for the current or the immediate prior year and contains the applicant’s name and residential address
• Tuition bill or student loan coupons, with residential address, with a due date of not more than 12 months old
• Original school transcript with name and residential address (not valid if more than 12 months old)
• Original letter issued and signed by the principal, headmaster, or official keeper of the records of a MA school (including a college or university) on school’s letterhead that states the applicant is currently a resident student and includes the name and date of birth (dated within 12 months of application)
• Medicaid correspondence (dated within six months of application)
• Credit Report issued by Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion (dated within 12 months of application)
• Annual Pension or Retirement Statement for the current or immediate prior year
• Annual Social Security Statement for the current or immediate prior year
• First-class mail from any federal or state agency that displays residential address
• W-2 Form from current or previous year that displays residential address
• Cell phone, credit card, doctor, or hospital bill issued within the last 60 days
• Voter registration signed & certified by city/town clerk
• Pre-printed pay stub with employer’s name and address and applicant’s name and residential address (no more than 60 days old)
• Current car loan payment book that displays residential address
• Car insurance policy/bill (no more than 60 days old)
• Current MA-issued Professional License that displays residential address
• Jury Duty Summons (dated within 12 months of application)
• Census or Census Verification for current year
• MA Firearms Card, with photo, signature, residential address, and DOB (expired no more than 12 months)

18 – 21 year old applicants

• Notarized statement from parent/legal guardian that states applicant currently resides in the parent/guardian’s home

Official U.S. Immigration Documents (Photocopies are not acceptable)

1. Certificate of Naturalization……………………...…...…….N-550, N-570, or N-578
2. Certificate of Citizenship……………………………...…….N-560, N-561, or N-645
3. U.S. Citizen Identification Card………………………...……………...I-179 or I-197
4. Permanent Resident Card (“Green Card”)……………………......……………..I-551
5. Temporary Resident Identification Card……………………………...…………I-688
6. Record of Departure (in valid Foreign Passport)……………...…...……………..I-94                                                                                             The I-94 and the valid foreign Passport it is within, count as only one Acceptable Document.
7. Processed for I-551 stamp (in valid, Foreign Passport)
8. U.S. Permanent Resident Re-entry Permit…………………….…..…………….I-327
9. U.S. Refugee Travel Document………………………...……………….…..…..I-571
10. Employment Authorization Card………………………………….…...I-688B,  I-766
11. Documents specific to the applicant based upon decisions of the U.S. Department of  State, U.S. Department of Justice (including Executive Office for Immigration Review, Board of Immigration Appeals and former Immigration and Naturalization Service), or U.S. Department of Homeland Security (including Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services.)

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